ODRC Horticulture Teacher Named Correctional Education Association of Ohio Teacher of the Year

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ODRC Horticulture Teacher Named Correctional Education Association of Ohio Teacher of the Year

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) is proud to announce that Emily Stahl, a horticulture teacher at the Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW), was named Teacher of the Year by the Correctional Education Association of Ohio.

Stahl has worked with ODRC for seven years as the horticulture teacher at ORW, but her love of the outdoors goes back to her childhood. "I picked up a job watering plants at a local nursery-drawn by the promise of a summer tan," said Stahl. "Before long, I wasn't just watering, I was learning." By the time she was 18, she became a Master Gardener and was managing her own garden center.

Emily Stahl

Becoming a teacher with the Ohio Central School System at ODRC was an unexpected decision for Stahl. "I pushed my start date back twice, almost in disbelief at what I had agreed to," said Stahl. "However, surrounded by an incredible team of supporting teachers, I have had the opportunity to change lives."

Stahl and her students at the institution have built a five-acre wildflower field, installed rainwater systems, and planted a 40-tree orchard. Through partnerships that Stahl has developed, many of her students have gained employment with places like the City of Columbus, the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and the Springfield Children's Promise Garden.

"For me, teaching is not about just filling students with facts. It's about awakening their curiosity and helping them understand that their education is the tool they will use to find and fulfill their own purpose," said Emily.

"Every year, the broken spoke floral arrangement created for our memorial ceremony is made with the guidance of Emily Stahl," said ODRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith. "Her influence reaches many places that people do not realize. Emily's work expands beyond the classroom and into our communities. Many of her students find jobs while they are still incarcerated because people know that they are getting great employees thanks to the guidance they received from Emily. Her work has yielded results in places across Ohio, and its impact cannot be overstated. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Emily."

"Students will oftentimes keep in contact with me after release," said Stahl. "It's always amazing to learn of their successes. Many have found wonderful careers with some of my employment partners, have become homeowners, and even regained custody of their children. Knowing I helped change a person's life gives me purpose."

From left to right: ORW School Administrator Florence Madueme, Emily Stahl, ORW Warden Erin Maldonado, and ORW Deputy Warden of Special Services Donald Harris.

The Correctional Education Association of Ohio is a professional association of educators and administrators working in adult and juvenile correctional settings worldwide. It provides critical training, cutting-edge research, and valuable networking opportunities for members to help deliver effective, life-changing education to students.

The Ohio Central School System (OCSS) serves as the school system for ODRC. It is an entity within ODRC, providing incarcerated men and women with education opportunities in the form of high school equivalency certifications, college degree programs, apprenticeship programs, career-technical education, and more.

In fiscal year 2025, OCSS served thousands of incarcerated students.

• 921 students earned high school equivalency certifications.
• 1,550 students earned career technical education certifications.
• 872 students earned apprenticeship certifications.
• 3,491 students earned college certifications or degrees.
• 5,412 students earned industry-recognized credentials.